Questions regarding worming for Strongyles

[Becky]

I have brought in a new mare with a 3 1/2 month old colt by her side. Wormed the mare this week with Ivermetin and the colt with Anthelcide (Oxibendazole). The mare is loaded with large and small strongyles. The worst I've seen in a horse.

I want to do a 5 day double dose of Fenbendazole with the mare. When should I do this? Wasn't sure how long to wait after worming her with Ivermectin.

What about the colt? Should he be de-wormed with a 5 day double dose of Fenbendazole too? And when?

 

[cretahillsgal]

I would do them both. And I would think waiting a week would be sufficient.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

Probably not a problem to do them both, but not what I would recommend.

Even though Mom has strongyles, round worms are far more likely in a 3-4 month old foal. Instead of a 5 day Panacur purge, I would worm the foal with a pyrantel or a benzimadazole at a normal dose and just once each month through about February. Then you could use an avermectin after that.

As for the mare, I would probably just start her on the normal program for the rest of your farm, what you gave is worked, you saw the worms. I would reserve a 5 day Panacur purge for horses that are having problems maintaining weight and health.

If you're dead set on the 5 day purge, then do it 1 month after the worming you just did.

I understand your concern about the number of worms, but the important factor is the overall health of the animal and remembering that horses should not be worm free.

Dr Taylor

 

[rabbitsfizz]

As I think I have mentioned before, calling the five day Panacur course a "purge" is a misnomer. This course should be part of a normal worming routine, in spring and in autumn of every year, to remove encysted small strongyles- it is the only Mini horse worming routine that is safe to do this.

I would wait ten days and then I would do both the mare and the foal with the five day course- as per instructions on the box, but, in all honesty, you cannot really harm a horse with Fenbendazole (which is the active ingredient in Panacur) that is why it is necessary to do a five day course to get the nasty little beggers that have buried themselves in your horses gut lining.

So, wait ten days, do the five day course and then worm as per usual ( Ivermectin recommends every eight weeks and over worming can be harmful so I would stick to what is recommended by the manufacturers if I were you) and from then on just worm every eight weeks through the winter. In spring you will want to do the five day course again, as well as a combination Praziquantel and Ivermectin to get tapeworms- you might want to worm the mare for tapes now as well, just in case- the foals should be too young for tapes but if you were to actually see any evidence of tapeworm in the mare I would then do the foal as well- better safe than sorry!

There is no need to rotate wormers- Ivermectin has no known resistance in horses at this present time, so adding tape wormers and Panacur five day to the normal Ivermectin courses should see you covered for everything.

 

[SampleMM]

Becky I am going through the exact same issue--new mare with foal on side and I dewormed with Zimectrin. I had vet out because I was concerned and he advised me to do the same thing that Doctor Taylor just said.

 

[drmatthewtaylor]

As I think I have mentioned before, calling the five day Panacur course a "purge" is a misnomer. This course should be part of a normal worming routine, in spring and in autumn of every year, to remove encysted small strongyles- it is the only Mini horse worming routine that is safe to do this.

I would wait ten days and then I would do both the mare and the foal with the five day course- as per instructions on the box, but, in all honesty, you cannot really harm a horse with Fenbendazole (which is the active ingredient in Panacur) that is why it is necessary to do a five day course to get the nasty little beggers that have buried themselves in your horses gut lining.

So, wait ten days, do the five day course and then worm as per usual ( Ivermectin recommends every eight weeks and over worming can be harmful so I would stick to what is recommended by the manufacturers if I were you) and from then on just worm every eight weeks through the winter. In spring you will want to do the five day course again, as well as a combination Praziquantel and Ivermectin to get tapeworms- you might want to worm the mare for tapes now as well, just in case- the foals should be too young for tapes but if you were to actually see any evidence of tapeworm in the mare I would then do the foal as well- better safe than sorry!

There is no need to rotate wormers- Ivermectin has no known resistance in horses at this present time, so adding tape wormers and Panacur five day to the normal Ivermectin courses should see you covered for everything.

Ivermectin resistance has been reported in horses, the earliest report was in 2006 and others have been reported since.

Tapeworms are the poorest competitors amongst worms, so it is unlikely to have tapeworms if there is a heavy worm burden of any other worm. Tapeworms have only been a problem since the advent and over-use of avermectins. Panacur at the double dose for 5 days and pyrantel at a single double dose are both effective against tapeworms, thus doing either and adding on Praziquantel on top is not needed.

Horses are healthier if they have a worm burden that produces a 250 eggs/gram fecal egg count. Worm-free horses lack a natural immunity to worms that is important later in life. Over-worming also produces worm resistance and as every worm class has resistance problems then I would encourage all animal owners to understand how to control worms not only with dewormers, but also with husbandry issues including pasture mangement, stocking density, and fecal egg counts.

Dr Taylor

 

[valshingle]

I agree with Dr Taylor.

Just a small warning. I have a yearling colt that really started tail rubbing. Per my vet, I wormed him with a double dose of Panacur for five days. A few hours after the 5th dose, the colt got a little tummy ache. He did fine with some oral Banamine and cimetadine. The vet said it was probably due to the large worm kill. So, if you go this route, just keep an eye out.

And honestly, when I have these kind of situations, I call my vet and follow her advice. She is the one I trust for answers. She and I have a great rapport and she can usually talk me through minor problems. If a minor problem turns out to need closer vet attention and I need to bring the horse in, we're both happier knowing that everything I'd done up to that point was by her instruction.

 

[QHPkaren]

Have you had any experience with Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth as a wormer ?

I use it Very successfully.

Google it - tons of info on the web.

 

[Becky]

Thanks everyone for your response.

Dr Taylor, do you not feel that encysted larvae are a problem that I should address in the mare with her heavy strongyle load? I don't want to under deworm, but nor do I want to over deworm, either. The colt has passed quite a few roundworms, so that appears to be his biggest problem.

 

[dreamlandnh]

I agree with Dr. Taylor. I was just at an open house for our vet's office and they were talking about this also, resistance has been reported in horses.

We talked about management for the problem too. They gave us a nice hand out about it all. I can see if my daughter still has it if you would like.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Dr. Taylor, I had never heard the 5 day panacur powerpac treated horses for tapeworms, when I looked on the official website, it states :

"Highly effective against the predominant internal parasites of horses: large strongyles, small strongyles (encysted early third stage cyathostomes), late third stage and fourth stage mucosal cyathostome larvae, pinworms, ascarids and arteritis caused by fourth stage larvae of strongylus vulgaris in horse"

Are you saying if I do the 5 day powerpac, that I dont need to deworm with something like Equimax? I did the powerpac on both horses Sept 1, and planned to use Equimax on Nov. 1, then honestly, not worry about deworming much and just have fecal egg counts done.